All of our hearth pads provide protection for a stove requiring Ember Protection.

Some stoves produce enough heat that a Thermal Protector is required to protect the floor beneath the stove.

Thermal Protection

With stoves burning cleaner and hotter than ever before, a traditional ember protector or homemade hearth may not protect the combustible floor beneath your stove. Building codes and safety standards now require the hearth pad to provide adequate protection based on the stove model. With that in mind, we now offer two levels of protection to meet the needs of every stove. All our pads are tested to meet or exceed UL1618. Whether you’re burning gas, pellets, corn, coal, oil or wood, our hearth pads offer the best protection on the market - and they look great too.

Type 1 – Ember Protection

All wood, pellet, coal and corn stoves require a hearth protector. Most require only protection from falling embers. But some stoves produce enough heat directed down and forward that a Type 1 – Ember Protector won’t stop the heat from passing through to the floor beneath the stove. This can be hazardous.

Type 2 – Thermal Protection

For today’s highly efficient stoves, a Hearth Classics non-combustible ThermaShield pad will block the heat from passing through to your sub floor. Fully non-combustible, with an R-value of 1.61, it provides the greatest protection of any manufactured hearth pad. For stoves requiring an R-value higher than R=1.61, a ThermaShield Low-Profile base, a ThermaShield Pedestal, or a ThermaShield Xtreme Pedestal can increase the protection up to R=10. All our pads are tested to meet or exceed UL1618.

Thermal Protection

Frequently Asked Questions

What size hearth pad do I need?

The stove you will be putting on it determines the size of the pad. Generally speaking, wood stoves require pads 48” and larger to protect from falling embers. Pellet, gas, electric, corn, oil and propane stoves can be installed on smaller pads. Consult your stove dealer or stove manual for your stove’s specific requirements.

How do I know whether I need ember protection or thermal protection?

Just as when determining the right size of pad, the stove you will be putting on it determines the type of protection you need. Consult your stove dealer or stove manual for your stove’s specific requirements.

How thick are your hearth pads?

Tiled pads are 1¼” thick. Stone and Brick pads are 1½” thick.

Can I install my hearth pad directly over carpet?

With our new Type 1 - Ember Protectors and Type 2 -Thermal Protectors with R=1.61, the answer is YES. These pads have a solid bottom that will support a stove up to 450 lbs. when installed on carpet. Stove weight is not an issue if you are installing on a level, flat floor.

On carpet, if your stove weighs more than 450 lbs, its weight pushes the hearth pad down directly under its footprint. The carpet will compress and may cause the pad to bow. Unfortunately, tile and grout aren’t flexible materials and that pressure could cause cracks in the grout or tile. A simple solution is our Low-Profile Base which can be placed beneath the hearth pad. The Low-Profile Base compresses the carpet evenly and provides a flat surface on which to place the pad. Another option is to cut a piece of 3/4” particleboard slightly smaller than your hearth pad to do the same job. The particle board should be cut so that it supports the metal frame of the pad on all sizes.

Our older pads with R=1.01 are designed with airspace beneath them to increase their thermal resistance. If installed over carpet, the carpet will fill that air space and significantly reduce the R-value. In this case, a Low Profile base or particleboard as mentioned above should be used.

Can I have a hole cut in my hearth pad?

Absolutely. We do it all the time. Your stove dealer will need to send us a drawing showing us the size and placement of the hole.

Can you make a pad to fit my special dimensions?

Yes we can. We excel at custom work. Part of our factory and team of craftsmen are dedicated to making custom hearth pads. Your stove dealer will need to send us a drawing with all your required dimensions.

Would you make a pad using my tile?

We’d be happy to.

What is the biggest custom pad I can have made?

Although we can technically make a hearth pad in any size, we’re limited by the ability to get it to you without freight damage. For that reason, we do not make hearth pads for use under stoves larger than 61” on a side. We can make extensions for use in front of a fireplace up to 72’ long, but not deeper than 22”.